Survivor
by DetectiveRenegade11579
Summary: After the explosion, Matt rushed in to rescue Mello. Will the two succeed in capturing Kira and avenging L's death, or will Kira be victorious? Warning: Spoilers for episode 25 and onward.


**A/N: I'm not sure if this story is finished or not, because I'm satisfied with the way it is now, but at the same time, I have ideas for how I can continue. It all depends on the writer's block, though. If enough people are interested, I'll see if I can continue. Should I continue or not?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note!**

Survivor,

The explosion could be heard from miles around. Matt could have sworn he felt a heart attack coming on as the sound reached his ears, and for the first time in hours, he glanced up from his handheld game, a silent gasp leaving his mouth. He stood up and bolted toward a nearby window, where the mushroom cloud covered the entirety of the sky from the aftermath of the explosion. This wasn't a good sign. The building was only supposed to be destroyed as a last resort. Forgetting his precious game on the floor where he had dropped it, Matt fled the hideout and jumped into his car. He stepped on the gas, hoping he made it before it was too late. He puffed on his cigarette as he sped through red light after red light, ignoring at least ten traffic laws and earning multiple horns beeping angrily at him. Finally, Matt pulled up in front of the building Mello used as the mafia hideout. He paled, stumbling out of his car, his mouth gaping; the still lit cigarette falling from his open mouth.

"Mello!" He shouted, knowing the blonde couldn't hear him. The building was mostly gone, save for the areas that were completely engulfed in flames. Not once considering his own safety, Matt rushed inside the destroyed building, calling the blonde's name desperately. Matt didn't know what he would do without Mello. They had grown up at Wammy's together and were inseparable even after they left Wammy's. Matt would do anything for Mello; in fact, he would even go as far to say that he loved him. That was the only explanation for why he was rushing into a collapsing building without a second thought.

"Mello! Mello!" Matt coughed from the cloud of smoke that hit him directly in the face as he entered a room that had yet to collapse completely. Mello's name died in his throat as he caught sight of a team of policemen gathered around a man unconscious on the ground. He tiptoed around them as fast as he could and resumed his search for his soul mate.

"Mello!" A flash of light caught his eye and he turned his head to see the cross from Mello's rosary. He rushed forward and, using all the strength he could muster, shoved the fallen debris off the injured boy underneath. The sight he was met with left him speechless. Third degree burns covered the entire left side of Mello's face and the left side of his neck, shoulder, and torso. Matt's breathing became shallow as he realized he could very well lose Mello forever. Perhaps it was the adrenalin rush, but Matt managed to lift Mello completely into his arms and carry him out of the building. He gently laid him in the backseat of his car and sped away from the mafia hideout.

Tears threatened to fall from the red head's eyes, but now wasn't the time to allow his emotions to control him. He needed to save Mello first. He slammed on the brakes as he pulled up into the gravel driveway, threw open the car door, and lifted Mello into his arms again. He deposited Mello onto his bed and began slowly peeling the shirt off him so he could see the extent of the blonde's wounds. The scent of burnt skin reached his nostrils and he nearly gagged at the rancid smell, but Matt did his best to ignore it. Finally, he wrestled the shirt over Mello's head and tossed it across the room. The burns were worse than he originally feared. They would leave permanent scars; something he had no doubt the boisterous blonde would be upset about once he awoke. If he ever awoke...

Matt shook his head to rid himself of those unwanted thoughts. The last thing either of them needed at the moment was doubt. The red haired boy gathered an armful of bandages and returned to Mello's side, carefully wrapping the gauze around the burnt skin as tightly as he could. By the time he finished, his hands were soaked with blood and the gauze was nearly useless. Matt knew he should probably take Mello to the closest hospital, but they had never prepared for anything like that. They had no fake ID's or aliases to use in case something like this were to happen. Besides, it was too dangerous to just leave Mello at a hospital. Matt didn't entirely trust the doctors and Kira was still out there. Matt sighed as he sat down on the edge of the bed, running a soothing hand through Mello's blood soaked blonde hair. All that was left now was to wait.

Sirens grew louder and then quieter as an ambulance sped past, and Matt knew it was headed in the direction of the burning mafia hideout, where the injured men awaited for assistance. Vaguely, Matt wondered how many of them were killed in the explosion, but then shook his head and remained focused on the reason he was involved in the Kira investigation. Matt still remembered clearly the day Mello discovered of L's death. The blonde's emotional blue eyes nearly overflowed with tears. Mello admired L; he didn't just want to succeed L. He wanted to become something L would have been proud of in a successor. That was the main reason he always strived to beat Near. Mello was passionate in his wishes, and he wanted to succeed L more than anything. Matt had always assumed that Near really didn't care whether he succeeded L or not; it was all just a silly little game to him.

Matt shared a room with Mello back at Wammy's, so he saw a side to the blonde he never allowed anyone else to witness. When news of L taking on the Kira case reached the blonde's ears, he was confident L would have the case solved in a matter of days, such was his admiration of the Great Detective. When the case continued on for months afterward, and then a year, Mello began to worry, but never once did he voice what everyone else feared the most. That Kira would kill L. It was unthinkable. But everyday, Matt saw the worry in his friend's eyes increase, until when both the blonde and Near were called into Roger's office on that fateful day, Matt knew the day had come.

Mello returned from Roger's office fired up, both angry and upset at the news. Angry at Kira for taking away his idol, and upset that L was gone from them forever. He was also angry at Roger for the very thought that he and Near could work together. Matt agreed with Mello; it would never work. When Mello told him he planned to leave, Matt packed up his handheld game, and told the blonde, "Wherever you go, I'll follow." After all, that's what friends were for, wasn't it? Matt would take a bullet for Mello, whether he asked for it or not.

But now...things were becoming far too dangerous for his liking. Kira was attacking them personally. How long would it be before neither of them could escape Kira's wrath? Matt feared he would one day soon witness Mello's death, and he wasn't sure he would be able to handle the outcome. Kira would have to take him out first, or at least, right after Mello. Matt would continue to be there for Mello, no matter what. Even if he died in the process, because in the end, a world without Mello was no world at all.

For the next few hours, Matt remained at Mello's bedside, waiting anxiously for him to awake. Matt's handheld game lay forgotten on the floor in front of the loveseat, the screen cracked from where it was dropped. The red headed boy lit another cigarette and puffed on it as he continued to wait for any sign of life from Mello.


End file.
